Happy birthday, Colorado\u00a0\u2014 and\u00a0Colorado\u00a0sports.<\/p>\n
Leading into the state\u2019s\u00a0150th birthday Aug. 1, The Denver Gazette has partnered with the\u00a0Colorado\u00a0Sports\u00a0Hall of Fame to publicize the definitive list of\u00a0Colorado\u2019s\u00a0top\u00a0150\u00a0sports\u00a0moments.<\/p>\n
For Nos. 50 to 1, Colorado\u00a0Sports\u00a0Hall of Fame historian Dave\u00a0Plati coordinated a 19-member committee to rank in order what they considered the top moments. The No. 1 moment will be revealed July 31.\u00a0Plati\u00a0and Broncos icon Jim Saccomano will unveil the list weekly on a\u00a0Colorado\u00a0Sports\u00a0Hall of Fame podcast at\u00a0coloradosports.org\/podcast\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n No. 46 \u2014 Oct. 22, 1973<\/p>\n On a day declared \u201cOrange Monday\u201d in Denver, the Broncos finally made their debut on \u201cMonday Night Football.\u201d Denver at the time was the 25th out of 26 teams in the league to be selected for the prime-time slot. (Buffalo was the last.) The opponent was the archnemesis Oakland Raiders. Billy Thompson returned a fumble 80 yards for the game\u2019s first score; Oakland countered with an 80-yard play of its own, a touchdown pass from Ken Stabler to Mike Siani. But field goals ruled the roost, with Oakland\u2019s George Blanda making three as did Denver\u2019s Jim Turner, whose 35-yarder with three seconds remaining forged a 23-23 tie. At the time it was the most-watched Broncos game locally and nationally.<\/p>\n \u2014 Dave Plati, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame historian<\/p>\n
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